Page 49 of The Blood Moon Oath

She doesn’t answer right away. She crosses her arms, glancing down the hall toward the entrance. Her eyes narrow, and when she speaks again, the words come out with frustration. “I’m bored. I’m supposed to be training for the Trials, but instead, I’m stuck here, in this damn room... wearing this.”

Her hand snaps the strap of her silky nightgown, the sound loud in the silence between us.

I raise an eyebrow, taking in the sight of her like it’s the first time I’ve really seen her. The silk hugs every curve, showing off way more than I’ve seen anyone wear in the damn keep, and it’s enough to have my blood boiling again.

“As much as I love seeing you like that, kitten,” I say, my voice low and teasing, “why don’t you change into something more practical, and I’ll take you on rounds with me? Perimeter’s been quiet, but maybe you can give me some company. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Her eyes flick to mine, a slow smile curling at the corners of her lips. “Wait, I can actually go outside the keep? Like, out of this room?”

I chuckle, liking the way her voice gets just a little more hopeful. “Yeah, but don’t tell the others. I’m not supposed to be letting you wander.”

She looks like she’s about to burst, her body straightening as she nods eagerly. “Promise I won’t tell anyone.”

We walk back inside Finn's chambers, down the hallway and into her room. She takes a step toward her wardrobe, and I follow her, stopping just inside the door of her room, but I can’t resist. I lean against the frame and watch her rummage through her things.

“Turn around,” she mutters without looking at me.

I grin. “Nah, nothing I haven’t seen before, and everything I wanna see again.”

She huffs, rolling her eyes but relenting. She wants to hide it, but secretly I bet she wants to put a show on for me.

As soon as she drops the silk nightgown, the air changes. My cock stirs in my trousers as I watch her, the way her body moves so fluidly, the way the soft curve of her back leads down to her ass. It’s fucking impossible to ignore.

I start rubbing the front of my trousers, unable to stop myself. “Behave?” she says with a smirk, crossing her arms over her bare chest, but the look in her eyes tells me she’s more than aware of what she’s doing to me.

“I’m trying,” I say with a smirk of my own, my fingers tracing the outline of my hardening cock. “But you really do make it hard.” I give her a grin.

She shakes her head but moves to pull on a pair of dark pants and a fitted shirt, a look that’s practical but still makes my blood run hot. She’s got this effortless way of makingeverything look like she could kick your ass while still turning you on.

I’m still hard as a rock when she finishes.

“Fine,” I say, stepping toward her with a smirk. “We’ll play later, kitten. Let’s get outside first.”

I lead her out, making sure to keep a hand on her back, feeling the heat of her skin under my fingers. It’s a damn good excuse to touch her, and I’m not shy about it. She doesn’t pull away, so I figure she’s okay with it.

We step outside the keep, and the cool night air immediately hits my skin. I barely feel it. The cold is nothing to me, I’ve lived with it all my damn life. Sable, though, she shivers, and I can’t help but grin. She’s walking beside me now, close enough that her every step matches mine, and it’s almost impossible not to feel her presence. She’s like a heat magnet, pulling me in every time I let my guard down.

But then I hear her voice, a little teasing, a little too sharp.

“Don’t you think you should wear a shirt or something?” she asks, looking at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. “We’re going out into the cold, and you—” She cuts herself off, looking me up and down like she’s trying to figure out if I’ve lost it completely. “You’re not even wearing a shirt.”

I laugh, low and rumbling, the sound escaping me like it’s been bottled up too long. I flex my shoulders, giving her a better view of the muscle under my skin. “I’m built for this cold. Trust me, I’ve got enough heat in me to keep us both warm.”

She raises an eyebrow at me, clearly not convinced, but I catch the little shift in her eyes—like she’s checking me out, even though she tries to hide it. I let her look. She’s not the first to do it.

“I think you're just trying to show off,” she says,crossing her arms over her chest, trying to keep the cold out. “You can’t possibly think this is practical.”

I chuckle again, that deep, throaty laugh that always gets to me. “Practical?” I ask, giving her a grin that stretches from ear to ear. “Who says I need to be practical, kitten? Life’s too short to be practical. Besides...” I glance at her sideways. “You don’t mind me like this. I can tell.”

She’s silent for a moment, and I see her biting her lip, like she’s fighting a smile. Then she huffs, her eyes narrowing, trying to keep up the tough exterior. “You’re impossible,” she mutters, but I can tell the irritation’s not real. She’s just playing along with me.

We walk in silence for a moment, the crunch of the snow beneath our boots the only sound as we head toward the perimeter. I keep my hand just a little too close to her back, letting her feel the heat of my touch. It’s a subtle thing, but I can tell it’s making her think twice.

I glance at her again, watching the way her breath fogs up in the cold air, the way she tries to stay focused, to act like she’s not a little bit affected by the way I’m looking at her. It makes me want to keep pushing her, just a little.

“You really don’t care about the cold, do you?” she says after a beat, her tone softening just a fraction, like she’s genuinely curious.

I chuckle, my smile widening. “I told you, kitten, I’m built for it. Cold doesn’t bother me.”

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